Loaded potato soup is perfect for autumn and tastes like 'comfort in a bowl'

With autumn now upon is, its time to leave the summer salads behind and tuck into some hearty dishes - and there's nothing better than soup on a cold evening.

Its versatility means it can be enjoyed at lunch or dinner, and at home from a bowl or whilst on our travels from a flask. To get us in the mood, a culinary expert has provided her recipe for loaded potato soup - and offered guidance on how we can create it to enjoy ourselves.

Taking to TikTok, Auds (@cookwithauds) shared a step-by-step guide with her 42,000 followers. "Loaded potato is one of my favourites so here is a walkthrough so you can make it too," she began.

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Auds chopped up an onion before setting aside the diced pieces to make way for garlic. "I like to use four or five cloves and I chop them and mince them finely," she detailed.

Next, she cut up a packet of bacon into small pieces using scissors, before peeling around 2lbs of potatoes and placing them into an "ice bath" to "remove some of the starch and ensure they don't go brown".

Auds then diced the potatoes and grabbed a cooking pot and cooked the bacon on "medium heat". She advised: "When it's nice and crispy, pull it out and remove a bit of the bacon grease." In the remainder of the grease, she mixed in the diced onion and garlic before stirring in four cups [946ml approx.] of chicken broth 30 seconds later.

After a big stir, Auds added in one cup [236ml] of cream followed by the diced potatoes and several seasonings - onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes. "Season with as much or as little as you like," she advised.

She then placed a lid on her pot and recommended: "Cook on low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender." Auds then removed "around half" of the potatoes before blending the remaining mixture. She then added the potatoes back in along with salt and pepper.

Closing, she continued: "Then add in two tablespoons of sour cream and add in around two thirds of your cooked bacon. It's so easy to make and the flavours are amazing. It's like comfort in a bowl."

Auds added the finsihing touches - sour cream and grated cheese on top - prompting scores of her fans to admit they can't wait to try it out for themselves. "Thanks for sharing, I need to try this," one said.

A second added: "Soooooo yummy looking! You explained everything very well and the video is awesome too." Whilst a third wrote: "What a simple recipe - delish!"